is it better to add fx after you make a guitar track or use an fx box of some kind while you are recording..?? please clarify for both acoustic and electric and keyboards..thanks

Generally I'd recommend recording without effects for greater flexibility in mixing, avoiding being locked into something that may not work as well in context of the full mix. If you had an external fx box and you feel you might want to utilize it, you could split the same guitar (or external keyboard) signal into two separate inputs—dry and effect—and then choose the one you prefer later on in the mix (or even combine both, as is commonly done with electric bass direct (DI) and miked-up amp signals). If you're using the effects inside GarageBand (like amp sims & such), keep in mind that even though you can hear the effect(s) while recording, they're not printed (recorded)—only the clean (direct) guitar signal is actually recorded, with the effect(s) audible in both recording and playback, but always applied in realtime, allowing you to tweak or change effects at any time after the recording is done. Here's a link to a video in the "GarageBand 201: Production Workflows" course, which discusses considerations recording audio signals with effects (in this case amp sims)..

few more questions...might as well put them in this thread... I am just experimenting here... I have 2 tracks of loops dragged out to cover 5 minutes..guitars..then I made a new track and recorded another guitar acoustic with 2 mics in stereo thru a USB interface,Steinberg... it showed on the screen as only 1 track but it did confirm that it was recording 2 track stereo... why didnt it show it as 2 separate tracks like other DAWs would?? It doesnt really matter to me but I am curious. Also, I had my interface at max but the graph showed a signal that is too small..not enough signal. Do I have my GB recording signal too low??? If thts the case I woud like to always see that signal meter on screen..where is it? You mentioned that I am really recording just the guitar even though I hear an FX on it as I play.. So how do you make that effect permanent ???

Hi again - >> it showed on the screen as only 1 track but it did confirm that it was recording 2 track stereo... In GB (& Logic as well) stereo audio tracks show both channels separately only when the track height is big enough—when track height is smaller you see a composite of both channels, which looks like a mono recording but in fact is stereo. Besides listening, the meter in the track header should make it clear if the recorded track is mono or stereo. >> the graph showed a signal that is too small..not enough signal... ...where is [that signal meter]?... If the recorded level is very much quieter than other tracks, and doesn't reach about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up on the meter in the track header (see below), then you could increase level at the source (or with the record level slider, available only with certain supported interfaces). However, while the small waveform display may not be ideal for editing, at 24-bit recording resolution (Preferences > Advanced) a slightly lower level recording can be brought up after the fact without ill effects. >> how do you make that effect permanent ???... There's really no need to—an effect will stay with the saved GB Project file, and when you create the final stereo mix file (Share > Export Song to Disk...) the effects will be included. It is possible to render the effects by bouncing just that track to a new audiofile, but AFAIK GB doesn't offer a quick option for that like Logic, and it's not really worth the trouble, unless your computer/CPU power is maxxing out, which is unlikely with small-medium size projects on a modern Mac.

when you say the level can be brought up after...how do you do that??? and thank you for good info. This forum is much better than the Reddit forum.... I will have plenty more questions too... thanks again

You're welcome! :-) You can bring up playback level of a recorded track by up to 6dB with the level slider in the track header (it's part of the meter, the round handle); if you needed more level you could select a Gain plugin at the bottom and add additional gain there—just make sure the overall (master) output level isn't going into the red (per the main meter).

why do you think the level is so low ..as I have 2 AKG condensor mics in stereo...old but decent.. I would think that with the interface level on 3/4 it would be pushing too much...but the waveform is small ... I definitely want my tracks loud and then tone them down ,not the other way around. If I was using 1 vertical style condensor like the Neumann style 87 woud my levels be higher on acoustic guitar?? I was wondering if its just an equipment issue.. I definitely want an electric guitar direct in for some tracks and assume that the levels then woud be easier to increase. btw can I select un ordinary fx for acoustic guitar like distortion etc found under the electric guitar menu..?

Hi - It doesn't really matter what the position of the input level knob on the interface is, go strictly by the level showing on the input meter. Various mics and preamps have different output levels and amounts of gain, and—depending on how loud the source is and how close the mic is—it's not uncommon to have to crank up the gain even with a condenser mic (with my U87 I often need to have the preamp gain knob almost all the way up, and while that provides a healthy level, the waveform is still not that big). Other (more full-featured) DAWs address this common issue (good recorded level but small waveform display) with options to visually increase the size of the waveform display (without affecting the actual recorded level, which may be fine), but GB is more limited in that regard. If it doesn't cause a problem with visual editing I wouldn't worry about it. Re effects: you can insert any effect in any track—the preset combinations/categories are just included as a convenience.